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N°5
- MAY-JUNE 2002
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Creation of a French ITC - Multimedia working group
On
the French Club of Industrial Districts ' initiative, a new
sector-related clusters working group was created. This group
gathers public authorities representatives, venture-capital
organisms and some fifteen local clusters specialised in :
- The audio-visual industry : the Multimedia and Internet cluster
of Ile-de-France, the numerical clusters of the Nord County
and of Poitou-Charente, the Image pole of Angoulême, the
cinema cluster of the north suburb of Paris, the video games
cluster of Lyon.
- The computer industry : the Parisian software cluster.
- The telecommunication sector : the Internet cluster of the
Trégor.
A first meeting of this working group was held in June. Its
objectives :
· fostering exchange of experiences and clusters networking.
· developing common projects, especially international
ones (with Quebec, Lebanon), that can benefit to the clusters'
firms.
· proposing services to clusters specialised in other
sectors.
· being a national lobby that can present the sector's
expectations, needs, and projects to the public authorities.
For more information, contact xavierroy@wanadoo.fr |
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The French Assembly of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry fosters the development of local clusters
In
France, Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI) support some twenty
local clusters. Thus, the Assembly of Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(ACFCI) decided to create a working group gathering the CCI involved
in clustering projects, so as to share methods and experiences.
During the first meeting, held in May, they analysed the involvement
of the CCI in the emergence of clusters, in technical supports,
in the search for financing, etc. The next meeting will be in autumn.
Contact e.lacrampe@acfci.cci.fr.
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NETWIN : a methodological guide to networking
and cluster development
With
the support of the European union, six European regions (from Greece,
France, Ireland, Italy and Portugal) have created, on the basis
of their observations and acquired experience, an operational package
for creating and developing networks. A CD-ROM in english was created
and includes some methodological tools (interview guidelines, analysis
of the collected data, a list of key success factors, audit and
evaluation tools, case studies) for the identification, creation,
leadership and development of local business networks. Contact :
Alexandre Desrousseaux netwin@aditec.org
or www.aditec.org/netwin_event.html
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A local clusters on cinema in the Parisian
suburb
The
association "Les Toiles du Nord" gathers firms working
in the cinema, audio-visual and multimedia sectors. A meeting organised
at the early 2002 gathered a hundred firms and workers of this sector.
Now the association is launching different actions such as the promotion
of the employment basin, innovation and training... For more information
: www.les-toiles-du-nord.org
or benjamin.masure@ville-saint-denis.fr
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An international design prize launched by
the eyewear manufacturing of the Jura
Morez
(Franche-Comté region) has been the French eyewear manufacturing
capital for more than 200 years. Despite a growing competition from
big industrial producers (in particular Asia and Italy), this industrial
district has succeeded in maintaining an economic growth by developing
technological innovation and creativity with the support of public
authorities (through "Contracts for Progress"). Thus,
the Technological Eyewear manufacturing Association (ALUTEC) organises
the 4th international design prize which aims to attract young designers,
to evaluate the innovation services of the firms and to promote
the creativity of the French spectacle industry. More than 950 young
design professors and students, coming from 43 countries participated
to the competition in 2002. 14 projects (including 1 Indian, 2 Italian,
1 Spanish project) were selected and prototypes will be realised
by the local firms this summer. An official reception will be organised
on the 3rd October in Paris and at the end of October in Saint-Etienne
to give the prices and to promote the French sector. To get more
information : Henri Venet hvenet@lunetiers-du-jura.com
or www.lunetiers-du-jura.com
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Inter-firms co-operation for industrial innovation
: the VAMM of the Deltares cluster
Four
firms of the Multimedia cluster called DELTARES (Parisian suburb)
have created collectively a new communication product : the VAMM
as the Multifunction Multimedia Display Vehicle (Véhicule
d'Affichage Multimédia Multifonction). This electric car,
with an high-tech screen at the back which broadcasts video pictures,
is dedicated to the promotion of local public authorities in the
streets, public squares, enterprises, trade fairs etc. This project
was realised thanks to 2 years of networking and to the inter-firms
co-operation. Congratulations!! Contact : sbenchaba@yuko.fr,
site www.deltares.net
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Developing inter-firms trust to boost a cluster
In
the framework of its programme " Development of cluster and
networks of SMEs ", the United Nations for Industrial Development
Organisation (UNIDO) permitted the development of the Printing cluster
of Bagru (Rajasthan State, India) by fostering co-operation between
craftsmen despite their great competition. A collective marketing
training was realised towards young printers, sons of craftsmen.
This encourages trust and inter-firms collaborations. More information
on the UNIDO programme on www.unido.org
or contact : unido@unido.org
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A cluster university training
The
University of Le Havre has created a new Specialised and Superior
Studies Diploma (DESS) "Development of networks : territories
and firms". This training focuses on how to develop territorial
inter-firms networks, and clusters are one of the main themes discussed.
A three-months training period ends this training. For more information
: madeleine.brocard@univ-lehavre.fr
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Call for projects to support collective actions
for industrial innovation
The
French Ministry for Industry launched a call for projects so as
to support collective inter-firms actions in the textile, housing
equipment and leisure products sectors. This call for projects focuses
on three directions : 1/ design, creativity and marketing, 2/ value
chain, 3/ sustainable production development cycle. This programme
can support firms associations, research institutions,
technical centres related to clusters? Propositions must be sent
to the Ministry at the latest 30th of September 2002. To get more
information on this programme and to download the registration sheet
: www.industrie.gouv.fr/pratique/aide/appel/f10p_appe.htm
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Supporting the human resources dimension in
clusters - Circular Ministry of Employment / Datar of the 3rd of
May 2002
To
improve the competitiveness of local clusters, the inter-ministerial
spatial planning committee (CIADT) of the 9th of July decided to
support the development of collective human resources management
in local clusters. EUR 0,5 millions of the national spatial planning
fund (FNADT-DATAR) and EUR 3 millions for the Programme for the
development of better training ("EDDF") of the Ministry
of Employment are already available. This programme aims to support
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human resources auditing and feasibility studies that can help businesses
to cope with management problems.
- collective coaching and monitoring, training, consulting initiatives
useful for the firms development ( for example : analyse of the
competencies, creation of collective management services, collective
training?).
The French club of Industrial Districts and the Ministry of Employment
will work together in 2003 so as to promote this programme and give
a technical support to local clusters. You can check the circular
of the 3rd of May 2002 by contacting Regional Prefecture. To get
more details, contact Xavier Roy : xavierroy@wanadoo.fr
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Transnational partnerships between clusters
: results of the 2001 experimental programme of the DATAR
In
2001, the DATAR launched a programme that aimed to develop "transnational
partnerships between clusters". 14 projects led by French local
clusters were supported. A report was done so as to analyse the
typology of the projects carried out and the first results. Half
of the projects concerns partnerships with firms agglomerations
from African countries (Maghreb notably) and Central and Eastern
Europe. The most promising linkages concern French local clusters
that are already involved in strong co-operations with a climate
of trust between the firms' network. The methods developed by the
clusters are quite typical (prospecting partners, doing exploratory
missions, finding themes and issues for co-operation, etc). But
these transnational partnerships highlight the fact that clustering
is an added-value which can help SMEs opening to export, linking
with foreign firms and searching for a collective competitiveness.
Most of the projects have initiated encouraging and sustainable
economic partnerships with firms from developing countries. Now
the DATAR wishes to pursue this programme... |
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Upcoming events |
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East
West Cluster Summit, 28th -31st October 2002, Udine/ Trieste (Italy).
The LEED Programme, the BERD and the Central European Initiative
will organise in Trieste next October a conference on the development
of industrial districts and local clusters in transition countries.
This conference will gather participants from Central and Eastern
Europe, entrepreneurs and international organisations. It aims to
promote partnerships between clusters from different countries.
To get more information : johanna.moehring@oecd.org
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2003
International conference on territorial development - 21st to 23rd
January 2003 in Paris (France).
Following the 2001 World congress on local clusters and the
2002 International conference on territorial development, the DATAR,
the Caisse des dépôts et consignations are preparing
the 2003 International conference. The main theme of the 2003 conference
is the key role of regions in the sustainable territorial development.
The debates will focus on three issues : 1/ Regional competitiveness
and globalisation, 2/ Regions and territorial cohesion, 3/ Regions
and environment. Once again, local clusters will be one of the themes
discussed. To receive the programme as soon as it will be published,
write to entretiens.territoire@datar.gouv.fr
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Publications |
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Development
of local clusters in China
Jici Wang and Xin Tong, from Beijing University, led a study
on Chinese local clusters. It includes a typology of the existing
clusters : from the Beijing high-tech cluster to rural and traditional
clusters (like the shoe cluster of Zhejiang) and clusters opening
to export (like the computer cluster in the South of China). The
case studies presented highlight the supporting role of the government
towards the development of these industrial poles. Contact Jici
Wang wjc@pku.edu.cn
A Regional Development Forum was held in April with the support
of the Chonqginq Municipality. An international delegation (DATAR,
OECD, UNIDO, Clusters Asia Pacific Inc) participated to this forum
as external experts. Partnerships, inter-clusters exchanges and
transfer of know-how were discussed. For more information, contact
Rod Brown (CAP) : apd@orac.net.au
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"
Observatory of European SMEs : Regional clusters in Europe "
(DG Enterprise, European commission)
(source webmaster@territorial.fr).
Local clusters is a phenomenon analysed for a long time in some
European countries such as Italy. But some other countries, like
in England, delayed in taking clustering issues into account in
their SMEs policies. The DG Enterprise report presents the different
development of local clusters in Europe and highlights their role
in industrial policies at regional, national and European levels.
This report is available on http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/analysis/doc/smes_observatory_2002_report3.pdf
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"Nosta
sobre clusters" - Alfredo Lopes NETO, Industrial union of the
Cearà State (Brazil) (Ed. FIEC, 2002).
TThis collection of articles, in english, portuguese and french,
highlights the development of dynamic Brazilian clusters such as
the footwear cluster of Val dos Sinos or the Textile cluster of
Fortaleza-Cearà. A free book available at presidencia@sfie.org.br
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Proceedings
of the 2002 International conference on territorial development
You can now get the proceedings of the International conference
on territorial development, organised on the 28th, 29th and 30th
of January 2002. Its includes the official speeches and synthesis
of the round tables and the workshops. To get them : entretiens.territoire@datar.gouv.fr
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"Les
systèmes productifs locaux" (DATAR, 2002, éd.
La Documentation française).
An English academic currently translates the book on local clusters
published by the DATAR in January 2002 in english. With concrete
experiences, it proposes a definition and a description of the French
local clusters. To get it in french : www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr
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